What Allies Are For
by Jaal Ama Darav
Summary: Jaal is missing in action, and Sakura is in a race against time to find him before it is too late.


**What Allies Are For**

* * *

 **A/N-**

 **This is a 1,000 words or less Prompt Fic I posted on Deviantart. The prompt was 'Missing in Action'.**

 **This was a very good challenge, especially since I used to have a major fear of not describing enough and having the hate I had to endure years ago for not doing so on here come back. But this prompt was just perfect in another step to overcome that, since it was slowing down my writing.**

 **Mass Effect Andromeda, Sakura Ryder and Jaal, and a prompt that would fit right in? I was thinking I had to do it!**

 **Feedback is appreciated!**

* * *

The Nomad, the Pathfinder's six wheeled all-terrain exploration land vehicle, raced over the snow and ice of the frozen planet Voeld.

Pathfinder Sakura Ryder, in the driver's seat, avoided ice pillars formed over centuries since the Scourge event.

Her black hair was windswept from being out in the freezing winds before everything went wrong, tears escaped her blue eyes and rolled down her brown skin. Her blue and white Angara-design armor was splattered with dried Kett blood.

She opened a comms channel to everyone involved in the search. "Anything?" She heard replies of 'no'. "Damn it! We're running out of time!"

Her friend, no, more than that, was missing in action. Hours earlier, she, Jaal Ama Darav, and Peebee were on a mission fighting Kett. And things went wrong, an explosion nearly knocked her and Peebee out. And when she could focus again, Jaal was nowhere to be found, and couldn't be raised on comms.

Sakura squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to stop the tears, and opened them to focus on what was ahead.

The comms crackled. "-to Pathfinder. Do you hear me? Ferro Hikaru to Pathfinder, I repeat. We've got him!" A pause. "Hostiles on our six!"

"You've got him?!" Sakura brought the Nomad to a stop.

"Yes." A groan of pain, she was obviously injured. "Holding area, one hundred klicks from Taerve Uni. They did tests on him and paralyzing patch on his back, medical attention required." Another pause, and a grunt of a struggle, her controls were likely becoming stiff." They hit us as we flew away, their explosive sniper rifle did damage to the cockpit, shrapnel. Nothing too serious I think. Descent, damage to one of our thrusters."

"Which direction?" Sakura's hands were firmly on the steering wheel.

"Northwest." A shudder was heard. "Damned bastards! Stop shooting at us!" A pause. "Shields gone! Friendlies on sensors!"

An Angaran voice was heard, female. "Looks like you need help from the Inalaara Squadron."

Ferro's voice was full of relief. "Thank goodness, we got Jaal back from them, and they-!"

The female Angara was heard, her voice full of tranquil fury. "No need to say any more, we've got this."

Ferro turned her attention to Sakura's connection. "Head to Taerve Uni. Saare is one brave woman, she put her starfighter's step-platform right under our damaged thruster, now we'll make it."

Sakura sighed in relief, she drew deep breaths. They, and Jaal, would be okay. "Will head there now."

* * *

Ferro guided her damaged airship to a landing on the emergency landing platform of Taerve Uni, right thruster smoking and the Angara fighter pilot assisting.

Upon touchdown, the door opened.

Former Asari Justicar Matriarch Tesuna and former Salarian STG member Taelin Uji left carrying Jaal.

They were closely followed by Bain Massani assisting an injured Ferro.

Medical personal, both Angara and Initiative, set up two travoises – gurneys with mass effect fields to keep them afloat.

Tesuna and Taelin, along with a female Angara medic, carefully laid Jaal on one of the travoises.

Sakura quickly ran to Jaal.

His voice was weak, shaky. "Where's Sakura?"

Tesuna took notice of the Pathfinder, her white facial markings apparent on her brows and lower chin. "She's here." She looked at the Pathfinder. "Paralyzing patch, nasty piece of work. Shame we can't just rip them off, would take the skin with it, and more than likely damage the spine."

The Pathfinder looked over the Angara, noting his purple skin looked a lighter shade than it should be, and a rip along his left undershirt sleeve with a bandage patch on it.

Sakura took Jaal's hand into hers, tears forming in her eyes, she choked out his name. "Jaal, I'm so sorry."

Jaal's blue eyes laid on her. "Darling one, it's not your fault."

The female Angara medic prepped the travois for movement. "We need to get the patch removed, Pathfinder. Wait outside the medbay."

Sakura nodded once. "Understood."

She followed the medical teams to the medical station, and entered, taking a seat in the waiting area.

* * *

Bain Massani took a seat next to the Pathfinder, having finished his business.

Sakura turned to the Kett hunter. "I don't know how to thank you and your team...without you Jaal would likely have been..." She hesitated, voice shaky. "Exalted."

"Overheard the Kett there say he was 'worthy'." Bain shivered slightly, he knew what that meant. "No need to, we were just doing what we do best." He paused. "I'll tell the others you said thanks."

Sakura looked at the Kett hunter. "I'll tell them thanks as well."

The medbay door opened and the Angara from earlier stood at the entryway. "Sakura." She noticed the other. "Bain. All is good. Come on in."

Sakura stood up quickly and dashed into the medbay. She saw Ferro was sleeping soundly, bandages over her wounds and a medical patch on her cheek.

She looked down the row of medical beds and saw Jaal sitting up on a bed and ran to him. "Jaal!"

Jaal stood up with a smile. "Sakura!"

Sakura threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly, and buried her face into his neck. Tears flowed down her cheeks. "I was so worried that I lost you."

Jaal's hug was firm but gentle and comforting. "I feared I wouldn't see you or anyone I knew again, I was terrified. To see Bain and his team, and you, again...brought so much relief."

Sakura looked up to Jaal's blue eyes, and raised a hand and gently cupped his cheek. "Have I told you how much I love you?"

Jaal smiled. "Yes. On Aya by the waterfall."

Sakura stood up on her toes to kiss Jaal tenderly on his lips. She pulled back slightly. "Try not to do that again, you have no idea how devastated I'd be if they-" Her words caught in her throat.

Jaal hugged her close. "I am still here, darling."

Sakura sighed, leaned against Jaal, and relaxed.

He was safe now, back in her arms.


End file.
